Cave/cavern safety question:

[Irene]

Remember, in the phone book, divorce follows diving!!

I had the same concerns about cave diving and was sure it would not be for me...I mean who cares about wet rocks anyways? I signed up my hubbie and I for cavern and intro anyways, thinking that it would help with reelwork and buoyancy for wreck diving.

I didn't really expect to get hooked on the caves. Oops.

Since your wife loves wreck diving, perhaps you could convince her that this type of training will help her too...and give you both the skills to enjoy following each other inside a wreck while maintaining some viz. Once you get her INTO a cavern and some training, she might change her mind AND you'll have another cave buddy!

 

[DivingCRNA]

Since your wife loves wreck diving, perhaps you could convince her that this type of training will help her too...and give you both the skills to enjoy following each other inside a wreck while maintaining some viz. Once you get her INTO a cavern and some training, she might change her mind AND you'll have another cave buddy!

Ummmm.... prolly not.

She is opposed to any diving that requires more than a 3 ml wetsuit and has less that 200 foot vis. All of the local diving requires more than that if you go below 30 feet or so, regardless of the time of year.

When I bought my drysuit she said "Why do you need THAT?" I said "to extend my dive season and depth". She said "If I need to wear that, I am not going". I bought her a 7 ml suit once, that she promptly returned without diving in it

I had a pretty aweful thread on hear 1 1/2 to 2 years ago when she and I were not getting along about diving. It turns out that she does not ever want to dive the lakes and quarries again, but will dive in the ocean where it is pretty. I have permission to dive "icky dives" without her and she would prefer if I NOT try to get her in the water. She sometimes comes along to hang out topside with the other diving wives who really only actually like the ocean too.

I would not think she would have any interest in cave diving. We even tried to talk her into taking Rescue diver after she had a scary equipment failure at 100 feet in Cozumel, but she has not interest in any training beyond OW. We have made our peace about it.

 

[Midnight Star]

she and I were not getting along about diving. It turns out that she does not ever want to dive the lakes and quarries again

Isn't that what *cough* concrete shoes are for?

 

[Dive-aholic]

Thanks ianr

After reading that, would it be safer, when attempting such deep dives, as to have a full-face mask (to prevent the reg from dropping from the mouth of an unconscious victim), which won't help if vomiting occurs, and a "direct" comm line back to surface, where the dive can be closely monitored ... allowing more immediate control over the situation. Granted the depth is extreme, and would make rescue, from the surface in a sufficient time, impossible, but with more clear "thinking" and "unimpaired reasoning" topside, perhaps he might not have pushed the limits too far on that given day.

The issue with FFM on that type of dive is there are so many gas switches occurring that it wouldn't be practical. They now have a FFM that allows reg exchanges, but they didn't at that time. Also, at the point that Sheck blacked out he had already worked up to a 12+ hour deco obligation. Bringing him straight to the surface without a chamber being right there (the closest chamber was several hours away) would have had the same result. He pushed the limits and died. But he died doing something he loved.

 

[ArcticDiver]

Just received this in email. Different situation but the idea is pertinent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
A husband found himself in trouble when he forgot his wedding anniversary.

His very angry wife told him tomorrow there better be something in the driveway that goes from zero to 200 in five seconds flat.

The next morning the wife found a small package in the driveway. She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.

Visiting hours for the husband at the hospital are limited, due to the extent of his injuries.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

How's your medical insurance?

 

[Midnight Star]

The issue with FFM on that type of dive is there are so many gas switches occurring that it wouldn't be practical. They now have a FFM that allows reg exchanges, but they didn't at that time. Also, at the point that Sheck blacked out he had already worked up to a 12+ hour deco obligation. Bringing him straight to the surface without a chamber being right there (the closest chamber was several hours away) would have had the same result. He pushed the limits and died. But he died doing something he loved.

How deep are the deco obligations? Are they in the range of a hookah system? If so, it seems possible to either use that, or have one with higher O2 injection system, or nitrogen filter. That would overcome the limited volume of cylinders ... though 12+ hours would be one heck of a deco sit.

 

[Rick Murchison]

My very favorite dive buddy in the whole world is the Lovely Young Kat - but she won't go caving or diving in cold water with me... sadly, I go anyway
She goes shopping, something I put right up there with root-canals on my list of things I want to do.
Works out great.
And we do break away for some warm open water together a few times a year...
Rick

 

[Dive-aholic]

How deep are the deco obligations? Are they in the range of a hookah system? If so, it seems possible to either use that, or have one with higher O2 injection system, or nitrogen filter. That would overcome the limited volume of cylinders ... though 12+ hours would be one heck of a deco sit.

Deco obligations started somewhere in the 300' range if I remember right.

 

[Midnight Star]

Is there anywhere I can look at a dive profile for those depths? I'm wondering if the longest deco intervals are more towards the deep or shallow end. I'm guessing deep for that depth.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Actually, the longer intervals are on the shallower end. Here's a profile from a dive to 881' made by Sheck

Depth...Stop time...Run time...Mix
..0............0..............0........Air
270...........0..............7.......10% tmx
500...........0.............13.......7% tmx
881...........1.............23
520...........1.............23
510...........1.............30
500...........1.............31
490...........1.............32
480...........1.............33
470...........1.............34
460...........1.............35
450...........1.............36
440...........1.............37
430...........1.............38
420...........2.............40
410...........3.............43
400...........2.............45......10% tmx
390...........2.............47
380...........3.............50
370...........3.............53
360...........3.............56
350...........3.............59
340...........4.............63
300...........3.............66......12% tmx
320...........3.............69
310...........3.............72
300...........3.............75
290...........7.............82
280...........7.............89
270...........7.............96
260...........9............105
250..........10............115
240...........8............123......Air
230...........4............127
220...........4............131
210...........4............135
200...........6............141
190...........6............147
180...........8............155
170...........8............163
160...........9............172
150...........9............181
140..........10...........191......30% ntx
130...........9............200
120..........14...........214
110..........17...........231
100..........18...........249
90............21...........270
80............23...........293......40% ntx
70............29...........322
60............40...........362
50............43...........405......50% ntx
40............58...........463......60% ntx
30............74...........537......70% ntx
20...........113..........650.......80% ntx
10...........152..........802......100% oxygen
0..............30..........832......100% oxygen on surface